Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby reach Vermont, bringing rain and threat of high wind

Updated at 1:43 p.m.

Yet another round of heavy rain began in Vermont overnight as the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby — now a post-tropical cyclone — arrived in the region. The storm threatened to bring heavy wind to the western side of the state Friday afternoon, and even the possibility of tornadoes to the south and west. 

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch around 1:30 p.m. for Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windham and Windsor counties. The watch was expected to remain in effect until 10 p.m. Friday. 

The storm prompted President Joe Biden to issue a federal disaster declaration for Vermont on Friday morning, promising relief and reimbursement to certain counties.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin at 11 a.m., Gov. Phil Scott expressed relief that Debby was tracking further west than feared, but he cautioned Vermonters to remain vigilant. 

“Even though we don’t expect to see as much damage as we once did from this storm, there’s still going to be challenges, especially in the Northeast Kingdom, after many areas saw significant rainfall over the last 30 days,” Scott said. 

The governor said he had updated an existing state emergency declaration to include Debby. He and public safety officials who joined him at the press conference said that the state had staged swift water rescue teams around the state in case they were necessary to conduct rescues and evacuations. 

By 7 a.m. Friday, up to 2 inches of rain had fallen in parts of central and northern Vermont, according to the National Weather Service, with the highest amounts in the Mad River Valley, as well as in Caledonia and Orleans counties. Early reports indicated that roughly 2 inches fell overnight in Moretown and at Craftsbury Common, according to the weather service.

After a brief break during the morning hours, heavier rain was expected Friday afternoon and night, delivering another 1 to 2 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 3 inches, according to Eric Myskowski, a meteorologist in the weather service’s Burlington office.

In total, the storm was likely to bring 1-3 inches of rain to the state, with up to 4 inches in some areas, Myskowski said. 

High winds could also pose a threat starting Friday afternoon. Southeast winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour were expected in the Champlain Valley and on the western slopes of the Green Mountains, with gusts of up to 50 miles per hour. That could lead to power outages in the area, according to Myskowski. 

Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison, who joined Scott at the Berlin press conference, also warned of the potential for “isolated, brief tornadoes, mostly in southern Vermont.”

Green Mountain Power said in a press release Friday morning that it was preparing for possible outages by expanding its field force with external crews. 

“The ground is already saturated from multiple severe storms this summer and that could make trees more vulnerable to strong winds,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations. “Safety is key for customers with this storm and there will be changing conditions in your area, so please be alert and plan ahead. Travel could be difficult, especially tonight with possible rising waters.”

As of 12:30 p.m. Friday, several rivers were higher than normal — including the Passumpsic River in East Haven and Barnet, the Mad River in Moretown, the Lamoille River in Johnson, the Otter Creek in Rutland and the Walloomsac in North Bennington — though none had reached flood stage.

Myskowski said portions of the state could experience flash flooding or river flooding, but he said Debby was not likely to pack the same punch in Vermont as Tropical Storm Beryl, the remnants of which caused widespread flooding and led to the deaths of two people. 

“It’s not expected to have the same impact as Beryl,” Myskowski said. 

Still, officials at the Berlin press conference urged caution. Morrison said that Vermonters should “pay attention to the local conditions — hyperlocal conditions” because, “Debby is going to hit differently depending on where you are in Vermont.” She noted that water could flow in “atypical” directions in parts of the state that had experienced major flooding earlier this summer. “Please don’t count on the water running the way it normally does, and keep your heads up if you are near a river, stream or brook,” she said. 

And even if Debby did not pose as big a threat to Vermont as once expected, she said, “There will be damage. There will be various types of flooding. It will be a challenging next 18 hours, but we will get through it.”

Vermont Emergency Management encouraged residents to monitor forecasts, sign up for the VT-ALERT emergency communication system and prepare for the possibility of evacuation. 

The American Red Cross of Northern New England Region said in a press release that it was standing by to assist if requested by local and state officials. 

Biden’s disaster declaration authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts made necessary by the storm, FEMA announced Friday morning. It allowed FEMA to “identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”

The federal government will reimburse certain expenses related to emergency protective measures at a rate of 75% in all 14 counties of Vermont, with some additional reimbursement possible in Caledonia, Essex, Orange and Windsor counties, FEMA said. 

Friday’s declaration pertains only to damage caused by Debby. Vermont is separately seeking federal assistance for damage caused by Beryl and a July 29-30 storm.